A massive fire has ravaged a commercial building in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut, claiming the lives of dozens of people, local authorities reported on Thursday.
According to Wasit regional governor Mohammed Jameel Al-Mayahi, around 50 men, women, and children were killed in the overnight blaze. Local media identified the site as the Kut Hypermarket mall.
Footage circulated on social media showed a large multistory building engulfed in flames, with people gathered on the rooftop as firefighters worked to contain the fire. In one clip, individuals were seen calmly exiting the building even as flames blazed above them.
Photos shared online showed crowds gathered near a fenced-off area in daylight, with emergency vehicles stationed nearby.
Governor Al-Mayahi has declared three days of mourning for the victims. While the cause of the fire remains unknown, authorities said preliminary investigation results would be released within 48 hours. A legal case has been filed against the buildingโs owner.
Iraq has experienced several similar tragedies in recent years, often linked to inadequate enforcement of safety regulations, electrical faults, and poor infrastructure.
Past incidents include the April 2021 fire at Ibn al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad, where more than 80 patients died in a COVID-19 isolation unit after oxygen tanks exploded, and the September 2023 blaze at a wedding hall in Qaraqosh that killed at least 100 and injured 150.
